Generator having reciprocating and rotating permanent motor magnets
A generator for producing electric power includes a drive mechanism, such as a drive motor, having a rotor supported for rotation about an axis. A first generator magnet driveable by the rotor includes a reference pole facing in a first direction. A second generator magnet driveable by the rotor includes a pole of opposite polarity from the reference pole located near the reference pole and facing in the first direction. The first and second generator magnets produce a magnetic field whose flux extends between the reference pole of the first generator magnet and opposite pole of the second generator magnet. A stator includes an electrical conductor winding located adjacent the first and second magnets such that the magnetic field repetitively intersects the winding as the rotor driveably rotates. The drive motor for operating the generator includes a pair of first and second rotor magnets spaced angularly about the axis and supported on the rotor, a reciprocating magnet, and an actuator for moving the first reciprocating magnet cyclically toward and away from the first pair of the rotor magnets, for cyclically rotating the first pair of rotor magnets relative to the reciprocating magnet.
This application is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending parent, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/116,006, filed Apr. 27, 2005, now issued as U.S. Pat No. 7,151,332, and is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/479,612, filed Jun. 30, 2006, which is a divisional application of the identified parent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to the field of electric power generators. More particularly, it pertains to a generator whose rotor is rotationally driven by a drive motor having mutual attraction and repulsion of permanent magnets. Rotation can be sustained through operation of a low power oscillator. The generator creates electric current by passing multiple magnetic fields produced by an arrangement of permanent generator magnets across windings mounted on a stator as the rotor rotates.
Various kinds of motors are used to drive a load. For example, hydraulic and pneumatic motors use the flow of pressurized liquid and gas, respectively, to drive a rotor connected to a load. Such drive motors must be continually supplied with pressurized fluid from a pump driven by energy converted to rotating power by a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine. The several energy conversion processes, flow losses and pumping losses decrease the operating efficiency of motor systems of this type.
Conventional electric motors employ the force applied to a current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field. In a d.c. motor the magnetic field is provided either by permanent magnets or by field coils wrapped around clearly defined field poles on a stator. The conductors on which the force is developed are located on a rotor and supplied with electric current. The force induced in the coil is used to apply rotor torque, whose magnitude varies with the magnitude of the current and strength of the magnetic field. However, flux leakage, air gaps, temperature effects, and the counter-electromotive force reduce the efficiency of the motor.
Permanent dipole magnets have a magnetic north pole, a magnetic south pole, and magnetic fields surrounding each pole. Each magnetic pole attracts a pole of opposite magnetic polarity. Two magnetic poles of the same polarity repel each other. It is desired that a drive motor is connected to a generator such that the motor's rotor is driven by the mutual attraction and repulsion of the poles of permanent magnets and the rotor of the motor drives the generator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA generator for producing electric power includes a driving mechanism, such as a drive motor, having a rotor supported for rotation about an axis. A first generator magnet driveable by the rotor includes a reference pole facing in a first direction. A second generator magnet driveable by the rotor includes a pole of opposite polarity from the reference pole located near the reference pole and facing in the first direction. The first and second generator magnets produce a magnetic field whose flux extends between the reference pole of the first generator magnet and opposite pole of the second generator magnet. A stator includes an electrical conductor winding located adjacent the first and second generator magnets such that the magnetic field repetitively intersects the winding as the rotor driveably rotates. The drive motor for driving the generator includes a pair of first and second rotor magnets spaced angularly about the axis and supported on the rotor, a reciprocating magnet, and an actuator for moving the reciprocating magnet cyclically toward and away from the first pair of rotor magnets, for cyclically rotating the first pair of rotor magnets relative to the reciprocating magnet.
Preferably, rotation of the generator magnets is sustained through operation of an oscillator, which requires a relatively low magnitude of electric power. The generator produces electric current by passing multiple magnetic fields produced by the arrangement of the permanent first and second generator magnets across windings mounted on the stator as the rotor rotates.
The drive motor can be easily started by manually rotating the rotor about its axis. Rotation continues by using the actuator to move the reciprocating magnet toward the first rotor magnet pair and away from the second rotor magnet pair when rotor rotation brings the reference pole of the first rotor magnet closer to the opposite pole of the reciprocating magnet, and the opposite pole of the second rotor magnet closer to the reference pole of the reciprocating magnet. Then the actuator moves the reciprocating magnet toward the second rotor magnet pair and away from the first rotor magnet pair when rotor rotation brings the reference pole of the third rotor magnet closer to the opposite pole of the reciprocating magnet, and the opposite pole of the fourth rotor magnet closer to the reference pole of the reciprocating magnet.
The generator according to this invention requires no power source to energize a field coil because the magnetic fields of the rotor magnets, generator magnets and reciprocating magnets are permanent magnets. A nine-volt d.c. battery has been applied to an actuator switching mechanism to alternate the polarity of a solenoid at the rotor frequency. The solenoid is suspended over a permanent magnet of the actuator mechanism such that rotor rotation and the alternating polarity of a solenoid causes the actuator to oscillate the reciprocating magnet at a frequency and phase relation that is most efficient relative to the rotor rotation.
The generator is lightweight and portable, and requires only a commercially available portable d.c. battery to power the actuator for the oscillator. No motor drive electronics is required. Further, operation of the generator is practically silent.
Various other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.
As stated, these and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:
A drive motor according to this invention, illustrated in
Extending in opposite diametric directions from the rotor axis 11 and secured to the rotor shaft 10 are four plates 33, axially spaced mutually along the rotor axis, each plate supporting permanent rotor magnets secured to the plate and rotating with the rotor shaft. Each pivoting oscillator arms 20, 22, 24 of the oscillator mechanism supports permanent reciprocating magnets located between the rotor magnets of the rotor shaft. Helical coiled compression return springs 34, 35 apply oppositely directed forces to oscillator arms 20 and 24 as they pivot about their respective pivotal supports 26, 30, respectively. Relative to the point of view of
The oscillator arms 20, 22, 24 oscillate about their supported bearings 26, 28, 30, as they move in response to an actuator 36, which includes a actuator arm 38, secured through bearings at 39, 40, 41 to the oscillator arms 20, 22, 24, respectively. Actuator 36 causes actuator arm 38 to reciprocate linearly leftward and rightward from the position shown in
A d.c. power supply 64 has its positive and negative terminals connected electrically by contact fingers 66, 68 to contact plates 61, 62, respectively. A third contact finger 70, shown contacting plate 61, electrically connects terminal 72 of a solenoid 74 to the positive terminal of the power supply 64 through contact finger 66 and contact plate 61. A fourth contract finger 76, shown contacting plate 62, electrically connects terminal 78 of solenoid 74 to the negative terminal of the power supply 64 through contact finger 68 and contact plate 62. A fifth contact finger 80, axially aligned with contact plate 59 and offset axially from contact plate 61, is also connected to terminal 78 of solenoid 74.
Preferably the d.c. power supply 64 is a nine volt battery, or a d.c. power adaptor, whose input may be a conventional 120 volt, 60 Hz power source. The d.c. power supply and switching mechanism described with reference to
As
It is important to note at this point in the description that, when two magnets approach each other with their poles of like polarity facing each other but slightly offset, there is a tendency for the magnets to rotate to the opposite pole of the other magnet. Therefore, in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, the angular position at which the switch assembly of the actuator 36 changes between the states of
When the reference poles 54 and opposite poles 56 of the rotor magnets 42-49 and reciprocating magnets 50-52 are arranged as shown in
When the rotor is stopped, its rotation can be easily started manually by applying torque in either direction. Actuator 36 sustains rotor rotation after it is connecting to its power source. Rotation of rotor shaft 10 about axis 11 is aided by cyclic movement of the reciprocating magnets 50-52, their axial location between the rotor magnet pairs 42-43, 44-45, 46-47, 48-49, the disposition of their poles in relation to the poles of the rotor magnets, and the frequency and phase relationship of their reciprocation relative to rotation of the rotor magnets. Actuator 36 maintains the rotor 10 rotating and actuator arm 38 oscillating at the same frequency, the phase relationship being as described with reference to
With the rotor magnets 42, 49 as shown in
Furthermore, when the rotor shaft 10 rotates to the position shown in
With the rotor magnets 42, 49 rotated into a horizontal plane one-half revolution from the position of
In operation, rotation of rotor shaft 10 in either angular direction is started manually or with a starter-actuator (not shown). Actuator 36 causes reciprocating magnets 50-52 to oscillate or reciprocate at the same frequency as the rotational frequency of the rotor shaft 10, i.e., one cycle of reciprocation per cycle of rotation, preferably with the phase relationship illustrated in
Rotation of the rotor 10 is aided by mutual attraction between the north poles 54 of reciprocating magnets 50-52 and the south poles 56 of the rotor magnets 43, 45, 47, 49 that are then closest respectively to those north poles of reciprocating magnets 50-52, and mutual attraction between the south poles of reciprocating magnets 50-52 and the north poles of the rotor magnets 42, 44, 46, 48 that are then closest respectively to the north poles of the reciprocating magnets.
Assume rotor shaft 10 is rotating counterclockwise when viewed from the actuator 36, and rotor magnets 42, 44, 46, 48 are located above rotor magnets 43, 45, 47, and 49. With the rotor shaft 10 so disposed, the reciprocating magnets 50-52 are approximately mid-way between the positions shown in
Then the reciprocating magnets 50-52 begin to move toward the position shown in
The direction of the rotational output can be in either angular direction depending on the direction of the starting torque.
The drive motor can produce reciprocating output on actuator arm 38 instead of the rotational output described above upon disconnecting actuator arm 38 from actuator 36, and connecting a crank, or a functionally similar device, in the drive path between the actuator and the rotor shaft 10. The crank converts rotation of the rotor shaft 10 to reciprocation of the actuator 36. In this case, the rotor shaft 10 is driven rotatably in either direction by the power source, and the output is taken on the reciprocating arm 38, which remains driveably connected to the oscillating arms 20, 22, 24. The reciprocating magnets 50, 51, 52 drive the oscillating arms 20, 22, 24.
In the perspective cross sectional view shown in
A reciprocating piston 184, which moves vertically but does not rotate, supports reciprocating magnets 186, whose reference pole 188 and opposite pole 190 extend angularly about the axis of piston 184.
A solenoid magnet 192, comparable to magnet 90 of the actuator 36 illustrated in
A drive motor, as described with reference to
More specifically, the generator rotor 200 includes a disc 204 secured to shaft 10, and magnets spaced angularly about axis 11 and arranged on the outer axial surface of the disc. As
This arrangement of the dipolar magnets on the rotor disc 204 produces magnetic fields, whose lines of flux project axially from the north poles of the magnet pairs of the first set 206-209 and loop axially and angularly toward the south poles of the magnet pairs of the second set 210-213. When arranged as shown in
Referring now to
The windings 224-231 of the stator 220 may be interconnected to induce in the windings electric current having multiple phases or a single phase as the generator rotor 200 rotates past the windings of the stator. A rectifier circuit 236, connected to the leads 238 from the stator conductors, is used to convert alternating current to direct current and to remove ripple from the current signal, which is output to an electric load on leads 240, 242.
Referring now to
The opposite side of rotor disc 252 may support magnets sets arranged as described with reference to
Continuing to refer to
A reciprocating piston 292 of the permanent magnet drive motor for rotating the disc 252 is aligned with the axis 11′ and passes through the rotor center support section 10′ at the center of the generator disc 252 within the radius of the central opening of the annular rotating magnet 278. Piston 292 carries a pair of reciprocating magnets 150 with one on each side of the disc 252.
In operation, as the generator rotor disc 252 of the generator 250′ rotates, the eight magnetic fields on the rotor disc 252 rotate through the windings of the stator 220′, 220″ as the disc is driven in rotation by the permanent magnet drive motor. The windings of the stators 220′, 220″ may be interconnected to induce electric current having multiple phases or a single phase as the generator rotor disc 252 rotates past the windings of the stator. A rectifier circuit 236, connected to leads from the stator windings, converts alternating current to direct current and removes ripple from the current signal.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A generator comprising:
- a drive motor having a first pair and a second pair of permanent rotating magnets, each pair including a first rotating magnet and a second rotating magnet spaced radially from a motor axis such that each pair of rotating magnets rotates about the axis along a path having an innermost circumferential perimeter, a permanent reciprocating magnet supported for movement toward and away from the first and second pairs of rotating magnets, the reciprocating magnet having reference poles facing laterally from the motor axis and said reference poles being positioned axially between and radially within the innermost circumferential perimeters of the rotating magnets, and an actuator for moving the reciprocating magnet cyclically toward and away from the first pair and second pair of rotating magnets to simultaneously create repulsion and attraction forces continuously diagonal to the motor axis, to induce cyclical rotation of the first and second pairs of rotating magnets relative to the reciprocating magnet; and
- a first permanent generator magnet driveably connected to the drive motor and including a reference pole facing in a first direction;
- a second permanent generator magnet driveably connected to the drive motor including a pole of opposite polarity from the reference pole located near the reference pole and facing in the first direction, the first and second generator magnets producing a magnetic field whose flux extends between the reference pole of the first magnet and opposite pole of the second magnet; and
- a stator comprising an electrical conductor winding located adjacent the first and second generator magnets such that the magnetic field of the generator magnets repetitively intersects the winding as the drive motor operates.
2. The generator of claim 1, wherein the actuator further comprises:
- a permanent actuator magnet;
- a photosensor; and
- a solenoid supported for displacement adjacent a pole of the permanent actuator magnet.
3. The generator of claim 1, wherein the actuator further comprises:
- first and second bridge plates, mutually angularly aligned about the axis, extending over a first angular range about the axis;
- third and fourth bridge plates, offset axially from the first and second bridge plates, mutually angularly aligned about the axis, extending over a second angular range about the axis;
- an electric power supply including first and second terminals;
- a first contact connecting the first power supply terminal alternately to the first bridge plate and the third bridge plate as the rotor rotates;
- a second contact connecting the second power supply terminal alternately to the second bridge plate and the fourth bridge plate as the rotor rotates;
- a permanent magnet;
- a solenoid supported adjacent a pole of the permanent magnet, including first and second terminals;
- a third contact connecting the first solenoid terminal alternately to the first and second power supply terminals through the first and fourth bridge plates and first contact as the rotor rotates;
- a fourth contact alternately connecting and disconnecting the second power supply terminal and the second solenoid terminal as the rotor rotates; and
- a fifth contact alternately connecting and disconnecting the first power supply terminal and the second solenoid terminal as the rotor rotates.
4. The generator of claim 1, wherein:
- the first generator magnet is included in a first set of generator magnets supported on a rotor and spaced mutually about a rotor axis, each generator magnet of the first set including a reference pole facing in a first direction;
- the second generator magnet is included in a second set of generator magnets supported on the rotor and spaced mutually about the rotor axis, each generator magnet of the second set is located between two adjacent magnets of the first set and includes a pole of opposite polarity from the reference pole facing in the first direction, the generator magnets of the first and second sets producing multiple magnetic fields whose flux extends between the reference pole of one of the magnets of the first set and the opposite pole of one of the magnets of the second set; and
- the stator comprises multiple conductor windings located adjacent the first and second sets of generator magnets such that the magnetic fields repetitively intersect the windings as the rotor rotates.
5. The generator of claim 4, wherein the reciprocating magnet is one of a pair of reciprocating magnets, and each of the reciprocating magnets being spaced axially from the first pair of rotating magnets such that the first pair of rotating magnets is located axially between the reciprocating magnets.
6. The generator of claim 4, wherein the reference poles of the reciprocating magnet are substantially perpendicular to reference poles of said first and second pair of rotating magnets.
7. The generator of claim 5 further comprising:
- a rectifier electrically connected to the windings for converting alternating current induced in each winding to direct current.
8. The generator of claim 6 further comprising:
- a rectifier electrically connected to the windings for converting alternating current induced in each winding to direct current.
9. A generator comprising:
- a rotor supported for rotation about an axis;
- a first permanent generator magnet driveable by the rotor and including a reference pole facing in a first direction;
- a second permanent generator magnet driveable by the rotor including a pole of opposite polarity from the reference pole located near the reference pole and facing in the first direction, the first and second magnets producing a magnetic field whose flux extends between the reference pole of the first magnet and opposite pole of the second magnet;
- a stator comprising an electrical conductor winding located adjacent the first and second magnets such that the magnetic field repetitively intersects the winding as the rotor rotates; and
- a drive motor having: a rotating permanent magnet being spaced from the rotor axis and supported on the rotor such that the rotating magnet rotates about the axis along a path having a radius; first and second reciprocating permanent magnets supported for movement toward and away from the rotating magnet, the first and second reciprocating magnets having reference poles facing laterally from the rotor axis, and said reciprocating magnets are radially spaced from the rotor axis within the path radius of said rotating magnet to simultaneously create repulsion and attraction forces with the rotating magnet continuously diagonal to the rotor axis; and an actuator for cyclically moving the reciprocating magnets toward and away from the rotating magnet assembly thereby urging the rotor in rotation about the axis relative to the reciprocating magnets.
10. The generator of claim 9, wherein:
- the rotating magnet comprises a first arcuate magnet having a reference pole facing in a first direction and a pole of opposite polarity facing opposite the first direction, a second arcuate magnet having a reference pole facing opposite the first direction and a pole of opposite polarity facing in the first direction, the first and second arcuate magnets being in mutual contact and forming a ring concentric with the axis, an axial length of the first and second arcuate magnets forming a circular cylinder aligned with the axis of the rotor.
11. The generator of claim 9, wherein the actuator further comprises:
- first and second bridge plates, mutually angularly aligned about the axis, extending over a first angular range about the axis;
- third and fourth bridge plates, offset axially from the first and second bridge plates, mutually angularly aligned about the axis, extending over a second angular range about the axis;
- an electric power supply including first and second terminals;
- a first contact connecting the first power supply terminal alternately to the first bridge plate and the third bridge plate as the rotor rotates;
- a second contact connecting the second power supply terminal alternately to the second bridge plate and the fourth bridge plate as the rotor rotates;
- a permanent actuator magnet;
- a solenoid supported adjacent a pole of the permanent magnet, including first and second terminals;
- a third contact connecting the first solenoid terminal alternately to the first and second power supply terminals through the first and fourth bridge plates and first contact as the rotor rotates;
- a fourth contact alternately connecting and disconnecting the second power supply terminal and the second solenoid terminal as the rotor rotates; and
- a fifth contact alternately connecting and disconnecting the first power supply terminal and the second solenoid terminal as the rotor rotates.
12. The generator of claim 9, wherein the actuator further comprises:
- a permanent actuator magnet;
- an alternating current power source;
- a solenoid supported for displacement adjacent a pole of the permanent actuator magnet, including first and second terminals electrically connected to the power source.
13. The generator of claim 9, wherein the rotating magnet is located axially between said first and second reciprocating magnets and the rotating magnet has reference poles facing perpendicular to the rotor axis.
14. The generator of claim 9 further comprises:
- the first generator magnet is included in a first set of generator magnets supported on the rotor and spaced mutually about the axis, each generator magnet of the first set including a reference pole facing in a first direction;
- the second generator magnet is included in a second set of generator magnets supported on the rotor and spaced mutually about the axis, each generator magnet of the second set is located between two adjacent magnets of the first set and includes a pole of opposite polarity from the reference pole facing in the first direction, the generator magnets of the first and second sets producing multiple magnetic fields whose flux extends between the reference pole of one of the magnets of the first set and the opposite pole of one of the magnets of the second set; and
- the stator comprises multiple conductor windings located adjacent the first and second sets of generator magnets such that the magnetic fields repetitively intersect the windings as the rotor rotates.
15. The generator of claim 14, further comprising:
- a rectifier electrically connected to the windings for converting alternating current induced in each winding to direct current.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jan 19, 2006
Date of Patent: Jul 15, 2008
Patent Publication Number: 20060244327
Inventor: Stephen Kundel (Warren, OH)
Primary Examiner: Karl I Tamai
Attorney: Robert J. Herberger, Esq.
Application Number: 11/335,458
International Classification: H02K 33/00 (20060101); H02K 35/00 (20060101); H02K 7/06 (20060101);